The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-05-14
Correspondence Baltimore County Union.
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Plenty Amusements-- The Salvation Army
and the Horse Races-The Garfield
Statue-New Civil Service
Rules, &c.

FlonIy AmuSem0nCS--Tne SalVat1on Army
and the Horse Races-The Garfield
Statue-New Civil Service
Rules, &c.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 10th, 1887
Editors Union Last week was the opening
week of May-the month of flowers and of sup
posed pleasant weather-and with it, in this city,
came Forepaughs circus, base ball games, horse
races at Ivy City, under the auspices of the Ma
tional Jockey Club of this city, and three days
or more jubilee of the Salvation Army. All these
you may be sure made the city quite lively, and
the amusements afforded suited almost all tastes.
The circus was particularly attractive to the COLOR
ed people, who throng the tents OF every circus
that comes here, and who resort to any means al
most to get fifty cents with which to GO. AS soon
as the coming of the circus is announced on the
boards by the flaming placards, they begin to de-
wise how to get the above mentioned fifty cents
that will be required to allow them to enter the
tent where the all absorbing performance is to
take place, and talk of nothing else till the time
for the circus to arrive has come. They will work
for borrow, beg or almost steal the money to go,
if they can't get it otherwise for they bound
to 60. But many white people also attended
Forepaugh's in this city last week.
Next came the Salvation Army, or rather previ-
GUS to the coming of the circus, which did not get
here till Wednesday, and then almost too late for
the street parade, announced to take place that
cars of its train on the B. & P. R. R., and which
disappointed great number of people who had
waited the streets to see it, but went home be-
fore the parade took place. The Salvation Army
began their performances on the Saturday evening
of the previous week, April Both, by marching to
the B. & P. depot, corner of Sixth and B streets,
northwest, to receive the younger Booth, who
stands, it is said, feet inches in his stockings,
SON of General Booth the founder of the organ
ization in England and America the said son pay
ing an official visit for his father to the different
armies or companies in this country. After re-
ceiving him at the depot they paraded the city,
with him at their head, brass band playing pop
ular religious tunes, and accompanied by crowds
of people along the streets, mostly colored, who
almost stumble each other in pursuit of evory
brass band that commences foot on the streets.
This is not infrequent, for almost all the time
brass band is playing and society of some kind
is parading the streets of this city, so admirably
adapted, with its smooth pavements, for parades
of all kinds. The Salvation Army continued its
meetings three days, holding them all day on Sun
day at the corner of Seventh street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue, and filling the air with their brass
band music and singing, exhorting and prayers.
The music played by the band is always what is
called sacred.
Other interesting meetings held at this triangle,
well adapted to the purpose. every Sunday even
ing in fair weather, that will speak of are those
of the City Mission, which very impressive
and interesting, because the speakers are of the
most intelligent class and the singers all educated
ones They employ long four-horse coach, in
which they have an organ, and in which the sing
ers and speakers are transferred from place of
meeting to another, holding several each Sunday
in different parts of the city, and from the rear
steps of which the speeches made.
Then came the baseball games and the horse
races. The sporting element of the city was d
vided between these two. Some preferred the
base ball games that were to be played between
the National club of this city and the New Y ork
club, and others the horse races, both being held
partly on the same days. In the base ball games
the New Workers came off victorious, winning two
out of the three games played, although they were
hard pushed by the home club, in which the home
people took great interest, winning the third
game by of only l. But since, see by
the New York papers that our home boys have
turned the tables on the New Workers and have
beat them in that city.
The result of the races was, as usual, broken
pockets for some who took an interest in them,'
and now wish they hadn't gone to them at all,
while perhaps few others congratulate themselves
that they went and that the races came off. Their
pockets are little more pethorc than before
The meeting of the National j Jockey Club was con-
sidered quite success, but the lesson taught at
these races was the same as that taught at most
others, that it is not always safest to bet on the
than at Pimlico yesterday.
Tomorrow the unwilling of the Garfield monu-
ment takes place, and the military parade and
ceremonies of unwilling will be of an imposing
character. Gen. Keifer, of Ohio, and Col. Dufield
will be the orators of the occasion. All the local
military companies, the several G. A. R. Posts of
the city and the artillery and marines at the arse
nal, and civic societies will take part in the pro-
cession. The monument, which is very hand
some is located at the foot of the capitol grounds
and was erected by the Society of the Army of the
Cumberland, of which President Garfield was a
member, and which will commence its annual
meeting tomorrow.
The celebrations CT the month in this city, which
will be remarkable for them, will wind up with the
grand national drill and encampment, about the
latter part, which will bring many visitors here
from all sections of the country.
The Civil Service Commission has promulgated
and the President approved rules governing pro-
motions in the departments here, which have Gre
ated the greatest CONSERVATION among the thous
ands of old clerks who have spent many years in
them and acquired the utmost proficiency in their
clerical duties but who do not think they can pass
the civil service examination which is about to be
required of them. By the new rules it is compul-
sorry on all the clerks of the next lower grade to
participate in the examination for promotion to
the next higher grade, when vacancy occurs
therein and the result of such compulsory exam
minimum he will be examined again six months
afterwards, and if then unable to pass will be re-
duced to lower grade, or if already in the lowest
grade will be dismissed. These rules are con-
strued by every body and all the newspapers to be
for the purpose of getting rid of the remaining old
Republican clerks who can't pass civil service
examination, but who can and always have per-
formed their clerical duties efficiently. The clerks
themselves are in the greatest furry over them
First, they say the Offensive partisan" dodge was
tried, which got rid of most of the Republicans
outside the civil service rules and outside the de-
partments; then the "ineficiency" dodge was
tried, which got rid of more in the civil service
grades, and now the PRONUNCIATION of these rules
is intended to finish up the "weeding OUT process
announced by the leaders of the Democratic party
at the beginning of the administration to console
the rank and file and Offset with them the announce
ments of President Cleveland on the subject of
civil service REFORM and to get rid Of the remain
der of the Republicans in office. 1t is stated that
.Ivut seven-e1ghts of the old clerks in Office al
though efficient in their duties, could not pass
these examinations, and will eventually be tweed
ed out" with the rest ofthe "rascals" tits thought
that the PRONUNCIATION of these new rules are in
response to the outside clamor for moro vacancies
to put Democrats into. ANON.